A Fear Of Water
by Darren Axel Mclellan
Summary: It's been 4 years and Axel finally becoming a distant memory for Roxas, or so he would like to think. Join the blonde as he returns to his home town after 4 years from the moving away to the city. watch as he meets new friends and old ones! from his childhood.
1. Chapter 1

A Fear of Water

Chapter 1

Roxas sat on golden sand, digging his toes into it, enjoying the feel it gave. He hadn't been to the beach in so long he had forgotten the wonderful sensations he got from just being on the sand covered land.

He sighed with relief. The blonde had here before as a child, he lived in a seaside house with his parents.

He would be on the beach almost every day, until his parents decided living in the area they did wasn't good enough for them, and they moved to the city.

The family left when Roxas was 16, which was when Roxas held a secret about being in a relationship with another male.

After moving away he found it hard to keep in touch with his lover. They had arranged for Roxas to go back and visit, but the blonde was more than hurt.

_Roxas stepped off the bus and looked at watch. _

_2:00 the red head had said._

_Finding his lover to be nowhere near the blonde wondered down to the grass verges before the sand._

_There on the beach Roxas' lover stood hand in hand with another, their lips locked with each others._

_The blonde unknowingly made a small cry filled with pain._

_The two parted quickly._

_"Roxas" the blonde turned and ran off with tears in his eyes._

_The red head followed only to lose track of the blonde._

Roxas ran a hand through his hair.

"No Roxas. Don't start thinking about that, you've moved on" the blonde was back, and this time to stay. He didn't much care for the city life, loud noises, street lights pouring through the window even with the blind down.

On the beach Roxas felt like he was home like the years long ago.

For a second the blonde was sure he heard his name being called. He turned his head to one side of the beach and then to the other, nothing.

It came again this time louder, from behind him. He stood and wiped down the sand only to meet the minute grains.

A heavy weight hit him surprisingly, knocking him to the ground.

"Ugh"

There was a giggle. The blonde looked to the side of him.

"Namine?" the young woman nodded and smiled.

"I knew it was you, I recognised your golden hair" she made another giggle and helped her childhood friend up from the sand.

Roxas stood straight and finally got a good look at the other blonde. His friend had matured quite a lot, just like himself.

"So what brings you back here?"

Roxas snapped out of his thoughts and answered.

"Oh, I'm moving back" he shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking along with the woman.

"I didn't like the city atmosphere-"

"Your heart was always here?" she butted in.

Roxas nodded.

He led them up a set of stairs and to his family home. Opening the door and welcoming his friend in Roxas set down his keys and wallet on a side table.

"I still need to redecorate, but for the time being I can live with the old girl" he referred to the house like it was living, making Namine smile.

Old flash backs came to both her and Roxas as they walked through the house. The two spent a lot of the time together on the beach and in the house.

"You finished unpacking?"

Roxas kicked an empty box out of the way and nodded.

"Yeh I can unpack my clothes later, why?"

Roxas picked up his mobile off the side bed table and checked it.

"I think we should go down to the town and get a drink, we can catch up on what you've missed" the woman smiled.

Roxas had no reason to say no, so agreed.

The two walked into a childhood favourite cafe. Again it brought back memories to the blonde, of scrapping enough money lying around the house to run down the town to the cafe, just for an ice cream.

He smiled and followed in after his friend. They sat at the bar.

"Roxas? Is that you?"

Roxas rose his head in surprise again, he recognised the voice.

There stood behind the bar in a blue workers apron was another friend.

"Demyx?"

The two both smiled at each other.

"Wow it's been ages since we've talked, how've you been?"

Before the blonde could respond Demyx was hit over the head with a towel.

"I thought you were working boy!"

"Ow! I am, was. I was just talking to Roxas you remember him don't you Xigbar?"

"Roxas? Oh yes, my, it's been awhile, Demyx there's a pile of dishes in the back that need cleaning, they have your name on them" the man smirked and flung the towel over his shoulder.

Roxas smiled while lifting a menu.

"What can I get you?"

Roxas scanned over the laminated sheet. He wasn't sure what to have; the design of the menu confused him. He wasn't use to some of the different things that had changed.

"Err, surprise me!" Xigbar nodded and turned to Namine. She ordered something fancy; Roxas wasn't paying attention to much, but was looking at the decor in the cafe.

It had changed quite bit from when he was last here.

Xigbar turned back round with the two drinks.

"So what brings you back here Rox?"

The blonde looked at the man.

"City life isn't for me, couldn't live with the noise"

Xigbar nodded his head as if to say he knew what the blonde had gone through.

"How's life been here then?" Roxas asked back politely.

Xigbar shrugged his shoulders.

"Same old. Sun, sea, drink, drunken students" he chuckled.

The two blondes gave a light laugh.

Demyx returned back wiping his hands in a towel.

"So you been back here long?"

Roxas shook his head.

"Nope got here this morning"

Namine turned round slightly amazed that her friend had only been here a few hours.

"Hey! Why don't we hold a beach party for a welcome back party for Roxas?" The dirty blonde was talking out loud towards Xigbar and Namine, although Roxas could hear the whole thing. He smiled. Warmth crept over him; he had forgotten how wonderful it was to have friends that cared for him so much.

Back in the city the blonde chose not to mingle with too many people, so only knew a few, like co workers of jobs he had, or friends of his parents.

While not realising Roxas had wondered into a day dream.

"Hey Rox you coming?"

Demyx and Namine were at the entrance of the cafe waving at the blonde.

"Huh? Oh coming" the young man left the money on the bar and slid of the stool to catch up with his friends.

It was round about lunch time that the trio were wondering around the town picking up certain objects. Bunting, plastic cups, plates, cutlery. Roxas hadn't realised that his friend was such a good event organiser. He wouldn't have noticed since now, because of course he wasn't around.

The woman shut her mobile.

"Right, that's the table and chairs sorted, luxord said he can get the fire wood, barbecue and drink. Looks like we just need to tell everyone" she smiled.

Demyx was stuffing his face in a packed of crisps.

"Just text everyone that knew Roxas, hey tell them to invite a friend, you can always make new friends" the dirty blonde looked back at the blonde who was at the back listening to the two talk about tonight.

He smiled.

After picking a few more bits and pieces up the three made their way to the beach.

Namine waved to a figure standing next to a large bonfire, she ran down. Leaving the men to carry boxes and bags.

"We'll I didn't expect to be doing this after finishing my shift" Demyx stated, shuffling around trying not to drop the package in his hands.

Roxas nodded and made his way down to the unlit bonfire.

The blondes panted as they put the boxes down, Roxas straightened himself.

"Roxas it's good to see you again, it's been awhile" luxord stretched out his hand. Roxas accepted it.

"It sure has"

"Hey Nam where do you want these?" Demyx pointed to a box.

"Oh this way Dem" she walked off with Demyx following behind her.

Roxas watched as the two worked on setting things out. He then turned back to luxord.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Roxas asked.

The English blonde shook his head.

"No no we can handle all this you should go relax"

With nothing to do Roxas took the opportunity to sit aside for awhile.

He returned to his house for a short time before coming back out, bringing with him a guitar.

He sat on a large piece of drift wood sitting outside his house and adjusted himself with the instrument.

He played for a few minutes before he noticed he was being watched. Looking up he saw Demyx watching happily.

"Sorry, I didn't know you played"

Demyx walked over and sat beside the other.

Roxas nodded.

"I decided I would learn something new when I went to the city, the guitar was the only thing that reminded me of this place." The blonde put the guitar down and looked up at the setting sky.

"You really like this place, why?"

Roxas was surprised by the question, he had to think about it. Why did he like this place?

"I guess...it's because I miss having people that care for me along with the beautiful landscape"

Demyx stood and stretched.

"We'll I'm going home to get changed, l be back soon ok?"

"Yeah"

The dirty blonde walked off whistling a tune Roxas couldn't recognise, he shook it off picking up his guitar and walking in to the house. He to need to change.

Coming down the stairs 15 minutes later the blonde wore a black unbuttoned shirt with a t-shirt underneath, black jeans and nothing on his feet. A few tribal style bracelets round his thin wrists.

Taking one last look in the mirror the blonde made his way out the door. As he did he saw Demyx walking down another set if stairs behind the blonde's house.

"Hey Demyx" the dirty blonde looked straight up.

"Yo" he waved and ran over to the other blonde.

"You excited?" Roxas couldn't work out what there was to be excited about, it was a welcome party.

"Yeh I guess" Roxas chuckled. The two made their way over to the slowly growing crowd.

A few people had already been up to Roxas and said their "hello" "how have you been?" And their "it's been a while"

Roxas was happy to accept all their warm welcomes, even to meet new people he had never met.

As the sun disappeared a lot more people came down and started drinking and eating, mingling with others. It was different here than it was in the city. The parties Roxas attended were more formal, due to the fact that it was for his parents work.

"Hey Roxas can I get you a drink?" Namine offered but was rejected.

Roxas shook his head.

"Oh okay, here there's someone here I would like you to meet" Roxas had his head down pouring himself a non alcoholic drink.

When he turned Namine had gone but had left an old friend, of a sort.


	2. Chapter 2

Roxas froze.

"Axel?" The blonde managed to get out and that was all he could get out. His lungs didn't seem to want to cooperate and Roxas found breathing difficult. He put down his glass and coughed.

"Sorry, give me a min"

Axel nodded slightly and waited.

It made it even worse Roxas didn't like the feeling that Axels eyes were on him.

"Sorry it went down the wrong way" Roxas lied but he didn't want to seem mean.

He offered out his hand.

"It's nice to see you, how have you been? That's good, well I err-" Roxas started to walk off but was stopped. Axel took hold of Roxas's arm.

"Roxas..."

The blonde looked round staring into the depts. of the red heads green eyes.

"What...what is it?"

Roxas started stuttering.

Axel stepped closer and quickly picked up the blonde carrying him off to the water.

The crowd started to cheer. Axel got closer and closer to the salty water.

Namine jumped joining in with the cheering.

Demyx frowned something ran through his brain.

"Namine.."

Roxas looked at where axel was taking him. His grip tightened on the red head. His heart started racing.

"Axel no! Take me back!"

Namine stopped and looked at her friend.

"What is it Demyx?" She frowned concerned.

"Wasn't Roxas scared of water?"

The two both looked at each other with horror.

Roxas was starting to panic more and more.

"No axel! I'm not kidding take me back! Now! Axel Axel AXEL!"

The other Two pushed through the crowd with worried faces.

"NO STOP!"

The crowd cheered as axel through the blonde into the water.

Namine stopped running and gasped.

Demyx kept running and waded into the water until the water got up past his waist

"ROXAS!"

Axel turned wondering what the dirty blonde what shouting about.

Roxas instantly froze when he went under. Nothing in his body wanted to work, everything was shutting down something Roxas had developed with his fear.

Demyx dived under feeling for his friend. He went back up for air, he inhaled and went under again.

Namine was still worrying onshore, making everyone else wonder what was going on.

This time Demyx was lucky and felt the blonde's shirt. He grabbed on to it and pulled on it. He took the blonde into his grasp and dragged him back across the water.

He was placed on the sand. Namine dropped to her knees.

"Cpr... CPR!"

Demyx shouted.

Axel pushed in quickly and started the process.

_" Where is that brat?!"_

_Footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. _

_Roxas quivered in horror. _

_"AGH No da-" _

_The man grabbed on to the back of Roxas's head and pushed him under the water. _

_The blonde coughed._

_"Da-"_

_Again the blondes was shoved under the water._

_This carried on for awhile before the boy's father left the bathroom, like he was bored. _

_Roxas sat in the bath quivering in fear and pain. Tears ran down his face, but it wasn't like his father could see them when being pushed under water._

"Roxas can you hear me! Roxas"

"Wait he's coming round!"

Roxas coughed, water running out his mouth. He jerked forward as more water was coughed up.

"That's it Roxas, good man"

Roxas's breathing started to level out but he was still stiff.

"Na… Axe… Axel"

Namine went forward to comfort her friend only to stop as Roxas came out with another name.

She looked to Axel.

"Comfort him, he's still in shock"

Axel looked confused but did what he was told.

He kneeled on the sand and leaned towards the blonde to comfort him. His eyes widened as Roxas quickly moved his arms and wrapped them around the red heads neck.

"Axe...Axel"

"I'm...I'm here...Roxas"

Demyx and Namine stepped back giving the two some room. The beach had been cleared and the ambulance had just arrived.

The medics took over and axel sat in the sand staring at nothing. Thoughts of his own ran through his head.

The three, Demyx Namine and Axel sat on the log Roxas was on earlier.

"It's my fault, I suggested we threw him in, I totally forgot about his fear" Demyx wrapped his arms round the woman comforting her.

"It's not your fault, you just forgot, I'm sure he'll forgive you."

"I didn't know...so it's my fault" axel looked at the ground.

"Look at you lot you look like someone just died" the three looked up to see a police officer. They didn't see the funny side to his humour.

"Ok...well I can tell you that Roxas is fine and well. His internal organs are fine and he'll just need rest." Axel shot up straight away.

"Can we see him"

The police officer nodded.

Demyx and Namine ran over to the back of the ambulance.

"Roxas I'm so sorry, it's all my fault"

Namine took hold of her friend's hand.

"It's fine Namine it wasn't your fault, you organised a good party for me" the man smiled and looked to Demyx.

"Thank you" Demyx nodded with a smile.

Axel stepped up behind them.

Roxas looked to the floor.

"Could you give us a minute"

Namine nodded and pulled the dirty blonde, only to go watch the blonde and red head from a distance.

Axel closed in again.

"I'm sorry Roxas"

"It's fine it's not your fault either" the man smiled but didn't make eye contact.

"I wasn't meaning tonight"

Roxas looked straight at the red head.

"Roxas I know you remember that day, it must have hurt so much and I'm sorry, I truly am"

Roxas didn't say anything and just stared into the green eyes of Axel.

"Roxas, I still love you"

Roxas frowned.

"And what makes you think that I still like you huh?"

He lied again, he still did somewhere in his heart like the red head. There was something in him that he could never forget about, Axel.

"I know you love me your just choosing not to believe it. Roxas I will make you fall in love with me again" the red heads voice was firm and so where his hands that gripped the blondes cheeks and pulled him in, kissing the soft salty lips.

Namine and Demyx watched in a amazement.

Namine smiled and gave a small squeal. Demyx looked at the woman.

"You knew about this?"

She nodded.

"Your meaning you didn't know, axel and Roxas where a thing before Roxas left"

Demyx looked back at the romantic couple.

"It adds up now, the wanting axel instead of you to comfort him" they both nodded.

Roxas's eyes widened then slowly closed as the kiss deepened.

The blonde pulled back and pushed his old friend. He brought the back of his hand to his lips.

"Roxas I will" with that the red head made it up to the stairs and past the grass verge. Roxas sat on the edge of the ambulance still in shock from the kiss.

For the next day Roxas was told to rest for most of the it and the blonde found that quite pleasurable. Sitting around the house doing nothing but taking in the sunlight.

It too had been awhile since the blonde could sit back and look out to sea.

A cold chill came over Roxas.

He hated his fear and wished that there was something that could get him over it. He loved the beach, the sand, the town it was just the water outside his front door that bothered him.

He sighed, as he did his door bell rang. He plodded up to the door in no hurry to see who it was and opened the door. No one. The blonde looked both ways, not a single body, he looked down. There on the step lay a small bouquet of lilies.

"Huh?" The man picked them up " there's no note"

Frustrated a little the blonde took them in and found a vase of water for them.

He sat at the kitchen table staring at the vase.

"Who would send me flowers? And my favourite" Roxas fidgeted in his seat "Namine? No she doesn't know I like lilies...Demyx, no he doesn't seem like a flowery person" the blonde frowned.

"It doesn't matter who there from it was nice they fought of me...whoever they are"

The blonde rose and walked out on to the porch. A soft breeze passed him. He smiled. His ears picked up the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs behind his house. Roxas walked down onto the sand and sat on the drift wood. The footsteps stopped.

"Roxas" even though he knew someone was there the blonde still jumped. He turned, Axel stood towering over him.

"Hey here come sit" the blonde patted next to him and Axel did so.

The two sat in awkward silence.

Roxas's palms started to contain the sweat building up. A bright shade of pink crossed his face. The memory of last night was still fresh.

Axel placed his hand over the blondes and stared into his eyes. Roxas stared back. The two slowly leaned in closer to each other.

Axel stopped

"So you do still like me"

Roxas shot back and looked the other way.

"No...No I don't!"

Axel laughed and started to tickle the blonde.

Another memory shot into Roxas's head.

The first year of being together axel and Roxas would sit on the beach talking about what they wanted to do in life, axel would change the subject and tickle the other to the sand.

Roxas let out a slight yelp followed by laughter.

Axel smiled and continued.

Roxas fell to the sand axel following over the top.

They stopped and again looked into each other's eyes. The red head took hold of the blonde's wrists and held it above Roxas's head.

"Axel wait what are you doing?"

"Nothing much" he leaned down and placed his lips on to the blondes, the kiss deepened.

Axel pulled back and looked down at the blonde, a flustered face, T-shirt riding up showing the soft skin of the blonde's stomach.

"Axel please not here" Roxas pulled himself out from under his friend and stood.

"Here come in for a tea?" The blonde lowered his hand to axel. He accepted and was lead to the house.

Pouring in the boiling water axel looked around the kitchen. He spotted the flowers.

"You like my flowers then?"

Roxas jumped a little.

"So there from you?" Roxas wasn't sure if to be happy about it. "Thank you"

Axel gave a small smile and took the cup to his lips.

Roxas sat across from him in silence.

The next question asked was a big surprise for Roxas.

"How long have you been scared of water?" The red head put down his cup and intertwined his fingers together waiting for an answer.

Roxas almost choked on his tea.

"Err, it was when I was a lot younger, before I met you, my parents wouldn't treat me with the greatest care. Dad would take his stress out on me, normally after he had had a few drinks. Just that one time I happened to be in the bath. There he found pushing me under the water a game" the blonde stopped and took another sip from his cup. " When he was done he left like his game was boring..."

Axel stood and walked over to his friend taking him into a hug

"Axe-"

"I'm sorry, if I had known I wouldn't have thrown you in, it's my fault"

The blonde felt a wave of warmth come over him, and not just from the hug.

"Axel it's okay, it wasn't your fault, it wasn't anyone's" the blonde placed his hand on the red heads shoulders and pushed him back, their foreheads touching.

Roxas closed his eyes. He knew he was going to regret what he was about to do.

Axel sat unsure of the situation and watched as his friend leaned in and planted his lips on to his.

Axel was amazed by this little action but smiled when he blonde broke from him.

"What was that then?" Axel smirked

"Nothing, just...a thank you..." The blonde blushed

"You sure about that?" Axel wrapped his arms around the man's waist, pulling him closer.

Roxas not knowing what to do instinctively put his arms round the red heads neck.

"It's been awhile since I got this close to anyone, I'm not sure that I'm quite doing it right" Roxas started to stutter again, finding being close almost a foreign thing.

"You seem to be doing okay so far" axel smiled and leaned in for another kiss, Roxas accepted it and held on tightly as the red head picked him off his feet.

"Axel what are you doing now?"

Axel walked over to the bottom of the stairs leading up.

"No wait Axel, wait, wait, wait!" Roxas squirmed in protest as axel carried on up the stairs with a smirk on his face.

"Rox stop fighting it, you've already proven my point, you just can't resist me" axel sounded all high and mighty. Roxas frowned and nipped his friend.

Axel laughed a little.

"It will take more than that to get me to stop" axel set down the blonde as he closed the bedroom door. Roxas turned facing the red head.

"Axel let me pas-"

Axel gave him another kiss.

"Nope"


End file.
